University of Saskatchewan researchers study bats to combat future pandemics

Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are studying bats to find a cure for future pandemics.

Dr. Arinjay Banerjee says that bats do not get sick, but they still manage to carry and keep many viruses alive. The focus of their research is to uncover why the bats do not get sick and turn that into a cure for future pandemics.

The studies will help scientists come up with quicker vaccinations for diseases like COVID-19, lowering potential mortality rates.

So far, three research papers have come from four years’ worth of research. The first paper looks at how bats transfer diseases like the Nipah virus to animals humans are commonly exposed to, like pigs. The second paper expands on how viruses survive in bats and why bats have a higher tolerance for getting sick compared to humans.

The final paper looked at immune responses in both bats and humans and how that can lead to creating vaccines and medicine for future pandemics.

Watch the video above to learn more about Dr. Banerjee, his team and how they plan to protect against the next global pandemic.